Dolphins pass first playoff test

NORRKOPING ‒ Dolphins will meet Tonybet Prienai in the BBL Quarter-Finals after taking a 84-71 victory against Barons kvartals in the second game of the Eight-Final tie.

The Swedes had won the first meeting between the sides by 12 points and answered any remaining questions already in the first quarter.

Although the deficit for Barons was merely two points (20-18) after Ilmars Bergmanis nailed a three-pointer seven minutes into the game, Niklas Rydgren and Ludwig Wissing’s barrage of three-pointers increased the gap to 34-18 after a 14-0 run to end the opening period.

Having led convincingly the rest of the way, Dolphins passed their first test in the BBL playoffs, but the next one in Lithuania might be a lot harder.

Joakim Kjellbom, Jermont Horton and Ludwig Wissing all scored 13 points each for the winners, with Jan Tomanec grabbing a team-high nine rebounds to go along with nine points.

For Barons, Andris Epners had a game-high 23 points, while Agnis Cavars and Ilmars Bergmanis, who also had nine boards, added 10 points apiece.